Inteltrends: Burma Report 18-JUN-2010

Security on the border between Burma Army and United Wa State Army (UWSA) in Shan State North has become tight as Naypyitaw’s deadline for the Wa to transform into Border Guard Force (BGF) program passed, according to sources from the Sino-Burma border. The deadline expired in April for the group to transform into BGF. Since then both have been reinforcing their checkpoints…

A delegation from Iran, including deputy foreign minister Mohammed Ali Fathollahi, yesterday met with senior Burmese ministers, including foreign minister Nyan Win in Naypyidaw. All eyes will be on the meeting following international concern about Burma’s military ambitions: the two countries were derided as “outposts of tyranny” in 2005 by then-US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice…

In a surprise move today senior Burmese military officials visited the Laiza Headquarters of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) in the country’s Northern Kachin State near the China border for the first time since talks over the Border Guard Force fell through. Four military officials – Maj-Gen Soe Win, commander of Myitkyina-based Northern Regional Command, Brig-Gen Thein Zaw Minister for Post, Communication and Telegraph, U Aung Thaung Minister for Industry-1 and Col. Win Min Htun the commander of Momeik-based Military Strategy met senior KIO officials in Laiza hotel between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., according to KIO’s sources. The Burmese Army officers arrived in the KIO’s Headquarters from Kachin’s capital Myitkyina in 12 cars escorted by soldiers. Burmese troops in three military trucks were also deployed early in the morning around the meeting venue as a security ring, said eyewitnesses. The meeting discussed the transformation of KIO’s armed wing to the Burmese junta proposed BGF. The KIO is the last remaining Kachin armed group, which rejected the proposal…

Karen rebel forces have launched three separate ambushes against junta troops – with unconfirmed reports of 14 Burmese Army soldiers killed, and 27 wounded – after intercepting radio communications and learning of Burmese military plans for an offensive against them, a militia spokesman said. Karen National Liberation Army sixth brigade spokesman Captain Hte Nay said the KNLA launched the guerrilla strikes after listening in on messages between junta troops in their area and Military Operation Command (MOC) No. 8 in Tavoy Township, Tenasserim State…